Tom Tom Club - Tom Tom Club (35th anniversary)

Tomorrow (June 23rd) marks the thirty-fifth anniversary of Tom Tom Club, the 1981 self-titled debut album from Talking Heads band members Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth. It spent a total of thirty-three weeks on the US Billboard Album chart, peaking at number 23.

For my complete review, click here.

For more from the Tom Tom Club, click here.

Talking Heads - Remain in Light (35th anniversary)

Tomorrow (October 8th) marks the thirty-fifth anniversary of Remain in Light, the fourth studio album from Talking Heads. The album spent twenty-seven weeks on the US Billboard Album chart, peaking at number 19.

For my full review, click here.

For more from Talking Heads, click here.

Talking Heads - Little Creatures

Today (June 10th) marks the thirtieth anniversary of Little Creatures, the sixth studio album from Talking Heads. It spent seventy-seven weeks on the US Billboard Album chart, topping out at number 20. Around the world, it reached number 18 in Canada, number 16 in Norway, number 12 in Switzerland, number 10 in Sweden and the UK, number 4 in Austria and the Netherlands, number 2 in Australia, and number 1 in New Zealand.

Talking Heads - Stop Making Sense

Today (October 15th) marks the thirtieth anniversary of the release of Stop Making Sense, the live album from Talking Heads. It served as a soundtrack to the concert film of the same name that was released in theatres in April of 1984. It spent one-hundred and eighteen weeks on the US Billboard Album chart, peaking at number 41. It also went to number 33 in Canada, number 26 in Sweden, number 24 in the UK, number 13 in Switzerland, number 12 in Austria, and number 2 in the Netherlands and New Zealand.

Talking Heads - Fear of Music

Welcome to another edition of Seventies Sunday.

Today (August 3rd) marks the thirty-fifth anniversary of Fear of Music, the third studio album from Talking Heads. This 1979 release, co-produced with Brian Eno, spent thirty weeks on the US Billboard Album chart, peaking at number 21. It also went to number 35 in Australia, number 33 in the UK, number 27 in Canada and number 11 in New Zealand.

Nona Hendryx - Nona

Before moving off to a solo career, Nona Hendryx was one third of the R&B girl-group Labelle. In the mid-1970’s she went solo and released a number of records. One of them, 1983’s Nona celebrated its thirtieth anniversary back in March of this year. Her second solo studio album, it climbed to number 83 on the US Billboard Album chart and number 25 on the US Billboard R&B chart.

Tom Tom Club - Close To The Bone

In July of 1983, the Tom Tom Club followed up their 1981 self-titled debut (click here for that review) with Close To The Bone. It charted at number 73 on the US Billboard Hot 200, number 49 on the US Billboard R&B chart, and number 31 in New Zealand.

Talking Heads - Speaking in Tongues

This week (May 31st) marks the thirtieth anniversary of Speaking in Tongues, the fifth studio album from Talking Heads. This Platinum seller from 1983 went to number 21 in the UK, number 20 in Austria, number 15 in Australia, number 14 in the Netherlands, number 12 in Sweden, number 11 in Norway, number 7 in Canada, and number 3 in New Zealand. Here in the US, it went to number 58 on the Billboard R&B chart, number 15 on the Billboard Hot 200 and number 2 in the Billboard Dance Club chart.

Talking Heads - The Name of This Band Is Talking Heads

Happy sixty-second birthday today (November 22) to bassist and percussionist Tina Weymouth.

On March 24th of 1982, Talking Heads released their first live album. The Name of This Band Is Talking Heads was a double-album with seventeen tracks total. It charted at number 31 on the US Billboard Hot 200. It also reached number 32 in Sweden, number 22 in the UK and number 7 in New Zealand.

Happy Birthday, Tina Weymouth

Happy sixty-first birthday today (November 22nd) to musician Tina Weymouth.

The California born Weymouth met up with future bandmates David Byrne and Chris Frantz at the Rhode Island School of Design. Frantz and Weymouth dated and eventually helped found the Talking Heads in 1975. Two years later, she and Frantz married.

To help cope with a long hiatus, the couple formed a side project called the Tom Tom Club in 1980. The bassist still is active in music.

For my review of the Talking Heads 1980 album Remain in Light, click here

For my review of the 1981 Tom Tom Club debut Tom Tom Club, click here

Talking Heads - Remain in Light

For their fourth studio album, the American new wave band Talking Heads turned to long time collaborator Brian Eno to produce it. This proved to be a smart move as 1980’s Remain in Light did very well with consumers and critics. The record went to number 19 on the US Billboard Album chart and number 21 on the UK Album charts. Remain in Light was named best album of the 80’s by Sounds and Melody Maker publications. Rolling Stone put it at number 4 on its 100 Best Albums of the 1980’s list and number 126 on its 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list. The Guardian in the UK ranked it number 43 on its list of 100 Best Albums Ever.

The original album release on vinyl contained just eight tracks. The expanded CD reissue included additional unfinished outtakes. For this review, I’ll focus on just that original release format.

Tom Tom Club - Tom Tom Club

Tom Tom Club is the 1981 self-titled debut album from Talking Heads band members Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth, and it charted at number 78 in the UK, number 23 on the US Billboard Album chart and number 18 in New Zealand. The husband and wife team decided to to this side project with a number of other musicians, and the album earned them a place in the "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die" list. The mix of percussion, guitars, keyboard and vocals by Weymouth and her three sisters form a creative musical explosion.